Metro Portal Pushed Back

Cablevision Systems Corp. and Primedia Inc. plan to delay the launch of a Web portal for the metro New York market.

In March, when the companies announced the joint venture between Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings Inc. unit and Primedia'sNew Yorkmagazine, they said the launch would occur this fall.

But last week, Carolyn Everett, CEO of the yet-to-be named site, said the portal would not launch until sometime this spring-likely in March.

"We are taking a cross-platform approach, with print, TV and the Web. There are certain things that we're getting ready for," Everett said. The companies need additional time to coordinate print, online and television programming from New Yorkand Rainbow's MetroChannels unit, she explained.

One key feature of the new site will be a dating service, which will be marketed underNew York's "Strictly Personals" brand, Everett said. The site will also contain some video personals, she said.

In addition to content fromNew Yorkand MetroChannels, the site will contain syndicated and user-generated content, including reviews, Everett said.

While the companies haven't released the name of the Web site, Rainbow and Cablevision's CSC Holdings unit have registered several domain names in recent months, which may be related to the venture. Among those monikers are NewYork-Buzz.com, hittvny.com, hitmetronewyork.com and hitmetrochannels.com.

The portal will compete with several local sites, including CitySearch.com, which is owned by USA Networks Inc., andThe New York Times'New York Today site.

"We're going to be a little edgier, and have more of aNew Yorkmagazine attitude-more of a behind-the-scenes attitude," Everett said.